Swiveled dobby connector



y 1968 J. B. SHERRILL 3,384,124

SWIVELED DOBBY CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJOHN B. SHERRILL ATTORNEY y 21, 1968 v J. B. SHERRILL 3,384,124

SWIVELED DOBBY CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJOHN B. SHERRILL (,4. w BY 'W7.

ATTORNEY FIG. 5

United States Patent 3,384,124 SWIVELED BOBBY CONNECTOR John B.Sherrill, Drawer 578, Gastonia, N.C. Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Set. No.618,031 Claims. (Cl. 139-66) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The dobbyconnector of the present invention is so constructed as to cause most ofthe stresses created on the connector during the forward stroke of theactuating lever to be absorbed by a bearing surface located between theswivel block and the main portion of the dobby connector, rather than tobe absorbed by the swivel pin alone, as is the case in prior artdevices.-

Backgraund of the invention This invention is directed to dobbyconnectors for weaving looms, and more particularly to swiveled dobbyconnectors, in which the reciprocating action of the dobby kniferequires that a portion of the dobby connector swivel.

In the prior art devices, loom dobbies customarily include a pair ofoppositely spaced reciprocating knives which cooperate with hooks andare pivotally connected to dobby levers and controlled by a patternmechanism. The levers in turn are connected to hardness jacks which liftcorresponding hardnesses when the associated hook is moved outwardly byone of the reciprocating knives. The rear harness frames are movedthrough a greater vertical distance than the forward harness frames,therefore the dobby knives swing from one oblique position to anoppositely disposed oblique position at the end of their working stroke,the greater distance of travel being at the rear end of the knift.

The dobby knives are connected at each of their ends to a dobbyconnector, which in turn is driven in a reciprocating manner by theactuating levers. During the forward stroke the dobby knife engages thehooks moving them outwardly and thus causing the jacks to raise theharnesses.

When the load on the harnesses is considerably heavy due to an increasedshed or heavy warp, the force necessary to raise the harnesses isbrought to bear on the pin which connects the pivotal element of thedobby connector with the main body. As can be seen, such heavy stresseswill tend to break or shear the pins.

Summary In the present invention, however, the heavy stresses on theconnector pin are alleviated by providing a bearing plate which isengaged by a radial surface of one end of a swivel block in the dobbyconnector. During the thrust stroke of the actuating levers the forcewhich is normally taken up solely by the connector pin is primarilyabsorbed by the bearing plate, and thus the stresses are distributedover the bearing surface as a compressive force, rather than a shearforce on the connector pin.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a dobby connectorin which the pressures brought to bear on the connector pin aretransferred and primarily absorbed by a separate bearing plate withoutaffecting the pivotal movement of the swivel block.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which may replace existing dobby connectors and when installedon present looms is completely compatible with the other dobby elements.The improved connector can be installed at a nominal cost.

Patented May 21, 1968 A still further object of this invention is toprovide a means for preventing the breaking or shearing of connectorpins by providing a compressive bearing surface to absorb a portion ofthe stress normally received solely by the connecting pin.

'With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a dobby with parts broken awayillustrating upper and lower dobby connectors made according to thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the dobby shown in FIGURE 1, and showing theangular disposition of the knives at the ends of their reciprocatingstrokes;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the assembled dobbyconnector removed from the loom;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the dobby connector; and 7FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the bearing plate looking at the otherend from that shown in FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings,FIGURES 1 and 2 are environmental views showing the dobby connector 10in use on a dobby D. The actuating lever L is set in motion andtransmits a reciprocating force to the dobby connector 10 through theconnecting rod C. The knife K is connected at each end to a dobbyconnector 10, and reciprocates with the corresponding movement of thedobby connector. According to the desired pattern, the knife K engagesand pulls forward a hook H, thus actuating the corresponding jack J toeither raise or lower the corresponding harness.

The above description is standard in the weaving art, and forms no partof the invention, but is explanatory of the environment in which myinvention resides and illustrates the problem solved by the invention.

The reciprocating motion of the knife K, as explained above, requires atleast a portion of the dobby connector 10 to be pivotal. Also, duringthe outward thrust of the knife K, all of the force necessary to movethe knife blade K and thus raise the harnesses is brought to bear on asingle pin 50 through each dobby connector. This results in extremestress on the connector pin 50 and usually results in short life for thepin. According to the invention this stress is eliminated from theconnector pin and transmitted through a bearing surface located adjacentthe pivotal portion of the dobby connector.

The present invention is more clearly specified in FIGURES 3 and 4,wherein it is shown that the dobby connector 10 includes a stationaryblock member 11, preferably formed of a high molecular weightpolyethylene, and said block 11 having a portion thereof bifurcated toform a base portion 12 and a pair of longitudinally extending cars 14and 16 extending from one end thereof. Base portion 12 is provided witha longitudinal passageway 18 extending completely through the baseportion 12 of block 11 and emerging between cars 14 and 16. The ears 14and 16 are provided with aligned transverse openings 20 and 22.

A metallic bearing plate 30 comprises a plate 36 with a tubular portion32 projecting from one side thereof which is adapted to extend intopassageway 18 of block 11. The tubular portion 32 has its inner surface34 threaded to provide a means for receiving one end of the connectorarm C in FIGURE 1, said arm C connected at its other end to theactuating lever L. The diameter of passageway 18 and the outer surfaceof tubular portion 32 are so dimensioned as to fit snugly together whenthe bearing plate 30 is in its assembled position.

The other side of plate 36 is machined to form a radially recessedbearing surface 38 in the bearing plate 36. The bearing surface 38 ispreferably formed as to extend transversely of the passageway 18 andparallel with the axis of openings 20 and 22 in the ears 14 and 16.

Swivel block 40 is also formed of high molecular weight polyethylene andcomprises a shaped block 41 which is curved at one end as at 42 toconform with the bearing surface 38 in bearing plate 30. This curvedportion 42 in the assembled position bears against bearing surface 38and is adapted to pivot within bearing surface 38 in cooperation withthe motion of the knife as to be hereinafter described.

Swivel block 42 is also provided with a first transverse passageway 44and, when assembled, is aligned with openings 20 and 22 in the block 11.Pivot block 40 is provided with a second passageway 46 transverse topassageway 44 and also transverse to passageway 18, and is adapted toreceive one end of the knife assembly K. Since one end of the knifeassembly K reciprocates through a longer stroke than the other end, itis necessary for the swivel block 40 to pivot slightly within thestationary block 11 of the dobby connector 10, following the action ofthe reciprocating knife.

Bearing pin 50 comprises a cylindrical portion 52 which extends throughpassageways 20, 44, and 22 to maintain the swivel block 40 in assembledrelationship to stationary block 11. A shoulder 54 at one end of pin 50bears against the outer surface of one of the ears 16 in stationaryblock 11. The other end of the cylindrical portion 52 is provided with aradial bore 56 through which a fastening or cotter pin 60 extends tohold the pin 50 in the passageways 20, 22 and 44.

In the assembled position, swivel block 40 is held in bearingrelationship against bearing plate 30 by pin 50. As the pivot block 40pivots slightly within recess 32 as a result of the action of the knivesK, this hearing relationship is maintained, and thus during the thruststroke of the actuating lever, most of the stresses caused by the actionof the harness springs and the weight of the harness frames and warp andnormally taken up by the prior art bearing pins are now absorbed byhearing plate 30. Of course, during the return stroke all of the stressis brought to bear on the bearing pin 50, however, this is negligible.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodificatioins may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, the scope of theinvention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a dobby connector adapted to transmit force between an actuatinglever and a knife blade, said actuating lever creating a reciprocallinear movement to said dobby connector which is thereby transmitted tosaid knife blade, said dobby connector comprising:

(a) a main body having means on one end for receiving a connecting rodfrom said actuating lever, said main body having a bifurcated portionforming two longitudinally extending parallel ears at the other endthereof;

(b) a swivel block pivotally positioned between the inner surfaces ofthe parallel ears and having means therein for receiving one end of saidknife blade along an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of linearmotion of said dobby connector, and said swivel block pivoting slightlyin response to the action of said knife blade; and i (c) a bearing blockpositioned between the inner surfaces of said parallel ears and securedbetween the swivel block and said main body in bearing relationship tosaid swivel block, said bearing block absorbing the force transmitted bysaid actuating lever in its thrust movement.

2. The dobby connector according to claim 1 wherein one side of saidbearing block is provided with a radially recessed bearing surface, oneend of the swivel block being provided with a radial surface contiguouswith the recess in said bearing block, said recess in the bearing blockreceiving the radial surface of the swivel block, said swivel block andsaid bearing block being maintained in a bearing relation to each otherduring the thrust stroke of the actuating lever.

3. The dobby connector according to claim 2 wherein each of the parallelears are provided with an opening transverse to the longitudinal axis ofsaid knife blade, said swivel block being provided with a firstpassageway aligned with the openings in said parallel ears, and a pinextending through said passageway in the swivel block and said openingsin the ears to maintain them in a secure position.

4. The dobby connector according to claim 3 wherein the means forreceiving said connecting rod comprise a tubular portion extending fromthe side of the bearing block opposite the cylindrical recess along theaxis of longitudinal motion of the dobby connector, a passageway in themain body of the dobby connector extending along said axis oflongitudinal motion, said passageway receiving said tubular portion toretain said bearing plate in said main body portion said tubular portionhaving an interior surface which receives said connecting rod.

'5. The dobby connector according to claim 4 wherein said main body andsaid swivel block are formed of high molecular weight polyethylene, andsaid bearing block is metallic.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,931,269 10/1933 Randall 139-662,966,146 12/1960 Schweitzer et al. 308-22 3,169,554 2/1965 Schwarz139-71 FOREIGN PATENTS 380,680 9/1932 Great Britain.

HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner.

